The Commencement exercises upon the last day were brief, sensible and entertaining. Five young men were graduated from college and two young women from the normal course, and degrees were conferred upon six young men who were graduates of three years’ standing. The music was a pleasant feature of the occasion, being well selected and well rendered. A report, which was highly commendatory, was read by Rev. J. M. Martin, D.D., of Atlanta, who had been in attendance upon the examinations by request of the Board of Trustees.
The gathering of the graduates in their meeting in the afternoon was the most striking feature of the occasion, as it was their first formal meeting, and secured the attendance of a large portion of them, and was marked by the warmest expressions of devotion to the school, its aims, discipline and culture, and affection and gratitude for its instructors. A singularly sober and earnest feeling pervaded their utterances, and it could plainly be seen that the conflicts of life in the difficult work nearly every one has taken up, have led them to appreciate as never before the value of work done for them here.
A finely framed portrait of Pres. E. A. Ware was presented by them to the school, as an expression of their appreciation of his sacrifices and devotion to its interests, as well as a testimonial of personal affection.
The next day witnessed the busy scenes connected with the departure of more than 150 young people, who, for the most part, go to teach summer schools of three months’ duration throughout the country regions of the State. There is something peculiarly interesting in the separation and departure of a large company of young people anywhere, but a special interest belongs to this occasion. These go with such a simple faith to difficult work among strangers, with so few facilities and so many obstacles of many kinds; and yet they seem to win favor, even from those naturally opposed to their work: they find places open for them, gather schools in churches, log-cabins, or brush arbors, make furniture, black-boards and charts, give lectures, lead Sunday-schools, Bible classes and meetings, teach ministers and elders, and become “all things to all men,” that they may save some from the degrading bondage to ignorance, superstition and sin in which they find the mass of those for whom they labor. It is rare that any are unable to find schools through lack of money to travel and friends to aid them, but the absence of any efficient system of schools makes the burden heavy, and brings to a few sad disappointments. But the fact that so many young people, with no experience and little money and few friends, accomplish every year such a great work, seems to prove that the hand of the Lord guides and protects them, and that His purpose is to make them a leavening power at the base of society in this State, to regenerate and bless and save the whole mass.